Law enforcement officers have exposed 15 people involved in attempts to organize illegal arms trafficking
Under the procedural guidance of district and regional prosecutors’ offices, comprehensive measures of the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police of Ukraine were carried out, during which 15 people involved in attempts to organize the illegal circulation of weapons and ammunition were exposed. About this informs press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Firearms, including automatic weapons, grenade launchers, sniper rifles, more than 9 kg of explosives and dozens of combat grenades were seized from the suspects. Three people were detained in Kyiv who were transporting weapons from the territories of former hostilities for sale in the capital. Weapons, in particular Kalashnikov assault rifles, were kept by the accused in apartments and a rented garage.
In Chernivtsi, three more people were exposed who tried to sell a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher, 35 TNT bombs, explosives and electric detonators. In the Kherson region, a resident of the Berislavskyi district, who had previously been tried several times, was exposed for trying to sell a Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK-74) and 30 cartridges for it. However, he was detained by law enforcement officers.
In Ivano-Frankivsk region, people from Kolomiyskyi and Kosivskyi districts were detained, who tried to sell about three dozen fragmentation grenades to representatives of the criminal environment. Five more people were exposed in Chernihiv, including a local resident who had previously been convicted several times, who, while in the pre-trial detention center for new episodes, recruited accomplices to sell illegally seized weapons. Weapons of destruction were taken out of the war zones and hidden in caches until they were sold.
All detainees were notified of the suspicion under part. 1 Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives). They are currently in custody. The defendants face up to 7 years in prison. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.
